With 13-3 victory over Savages, Fowler team wins 19th annual
Garlic Fest Men’s D Softball Tournament
GILROY – It’s On of Fowler defeated the Savages of Gilroy 13-3 in the finals of the 19th annual Garlic Festival Men’s D Softball Tournament Sunday at Christmas Hill Park.
Played at the site of this week’s 26th Gilroy Garlic Festival, the tournament drew a record 38 teams. The D Division drew 10 of the top teams in a area.
Team Talamo Foods of Gilroy, the defending champion, had to settle for third place, losing 10-8 in loser’s bracket play to the Savages Sunday afternoon. Steve Martinez hit a double and two singles for the Savages. Henry Calderon hit a double and two singles for Team Talamo.
The Savages followed with a 10-6 upset of It’s On to leave both clubs with one loss in the double-elimination event. Alex Flores went 3-for-3 and scored three Savage runs.
It’s On bounced back for a 13-3 nod over the Savages in the finals. Benny Diaz hit a double and two singles for the champions. Everett Wallace went 2-for-3 and scored on Savage run.
The G-Boyz of Gonzales finished fourth (2-2), including a 5-1 win over the Savages in the tourney opener. Knotty’s Boys and the San Jose Ballers tied for fifth place.
The Hernandez family provided managers for teams in each division’s finals, with Matt Hernandez directing Gaeta’s Taqueria to the championship of the 28-team D Division. Brother Mike Hernandez managed the Savages.
Gaeta’s went 6-0, concluding the two-day challenge with a 10-inning edging of VFW Vets 9-8. Hernandez scored the game-winning run on a two-out single by Cris Adame.
Gaeta’s pushed across two runs in the seventh inning for a 7-7 tie. Both teams scored one run in the eighth. Mario Bena led the Gaeta’s offense with a single, double and triple. Johnny Ramirez keyed the Vets with three hits.
The Vets gained the finals with a 6-4 win over D. E. Martinez Painting. Johnny Perez hit a run-scoring triple in the sixth as the Vets scored four runs, erasing a 4-2 deficit. Ramirez went 3-for-3. The Painters finished third, earning a trophy and souvenir T-shirts.
The Painters knocked Krazy Koyote out of the competition with a 15-7 victory. Jimmy Palacios and Ray Garcia each doubled and tripled for the fourth-place Koyotes (3-2).
Crew Softball of Hollister and Los Amigos of Arroyo Grande tied for fifth place.
